Call Me Crazy
by Pika-Thunder
Summary: Imaginary friends were said to be merely a figment of childhood. However, when many people across the world, children to adults, report speaking to an imaginary friend-like idea, commonly known as chara, the rest of the world perceives these charas as merely being hallucinations and schizophrenia. What will happen to those who possess the charas? Can they prove their sanity?
1. Abduction

**I have been quite looking forward to starting this story for some time. This first chapter was already over 5000 words. I'm starting this story literally the night before my first day of school. This story was loosely inspired by the trailer for Once Upon a Time in Wonderland (any fans of OUAT?). Also, I felt it was about time that I published my thirtieth story. Enjoy!**

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The gentle breeze entering the room made her shiver, but unfortunately, due to the handcuffs binding her arms together, she was unable to do anything to warm herself up. Goose bumps crawled upon her body, but she had no choice but to simply disregard them. She could only stare at the grey walls in front of her, desperately wishing they could become the yellow walls that normally lined her room. She could imagine laying on her bed, perhaps her laptop on her lap as she surfed the Internet and listened to music. However, that was certainly not the case at the current moment. She had conceded to defeat that she could not escape. Her efforts to snake her way out of the handcuffs proved to be quite futile.

"Don't worry Amu-Chan; we're here for you," She could hear a voice whisper. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see four fairy-like creatures float up and smile reassuringly. No, she couldn't allow herself to hear or see them. They were the reason she was here. They were the reason that those men abducted her and brought her to this unfamiliar place.

She could feel her eyes become wet. No, she couldn't cry. What was the point? She was trapped here. She was only sixteen! She did not want to live a life of confinement. She wanted to live like a normal teenager. She wanted to attend school when it started again, she wanted to complain about stuff normal girls did, be with friends, babysit her little sister- anything that could make her leave this dreadful place.

The sound of footsteps drawing nearer only worsened her mood. She could see three unfamiliar men walk towards her, sitting at a table in front of her. The one who sat directly across from her smiled gently at her. She knew it was completely fake. They could care less if she was happy; she was just some insane girl to them.

"So, your name is Amu Himamori, correct?" The man wondered, reading her name off of some file.

"It's Hinamori…" She whispered, her eyes averting his eye contact.

"Ah, my apologies…" He glanced back down at the file in front of him. "Your charas, the creatures you claim to see… when did you first find them?" Amu stifled a smile that dared to form. It was one of the first days she had moved. She had found three of the four eggs on her bed. She had been so utterly puzzled. She didn't truly found out what they did, until she professed her feelings for the popular boy in the grade during a school assembly, her mouth having moved without her controlling it. It was quite the fond memory. However, she had no intentions of telling the man in front of her that. Instead, she remained hidden in the silence, her answers only within her mind.

"You do not benefit from evading our questions," One of the other men pointed out.

"We aren't going to hurt you," The third promised. He reached over to touch her shoulder, making her flinch. She did not trust them in the slightest. They were unfamiliar men to her, men who had taken her because she possessed these charas, and they didn't believe her. How could they? Imaginary friends were merely a figment of juvenility. Amu was sixteen now, and should not be believing in such a childish idea. She had no idea what to truly believe. Were they fake? No, they couldn't have been; her other friends could see them too. Maybe she was truly insane, and her friends were as well.

"According to your file, you have been discovered speaking to four of them. Their names are Ran, Miki, Su, Diana…"

"It's Dia," Amu corrected involuntarily, immediately regretting it. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Dia scoff at the men.

"Are you insecure about yourself? Others like you believe that charas represent their desire to change somehow. Perhaps creating these fantasies allows you to escape." Of course she was insecure. She panicked every time she picked out a new outfit from her drawer, even if it was merely to meet one of her friends. That was the reason, after all, that she had four charas.

"I didn't create them," Amu growled.

"Of course you didn't." The men exchanged glances. She was just a girl who was utterly insane to them. Perhaps she was schizophrenic, according to them.

"You claim that your charas change your personality, correct? You draw exceptionally well sometimes, or become a skilled chef, or even become quite outgoing and exuberant. This is a result of your charas?" Tears began to officially cascade down her cheeks. Without her charas, she could not perform these simple tasks. They helped her accomplish things she never believed she could do.

"Do you truly believe they are real? Are you willing to accept the reality, Miss Hinamori-San? Can you believe that it is merely a figment in your head?" Amu found herself shaking. Ran, Miki, Su, and Dia… They had to be real; they had to be! She could trust them with anything, talk to them about her boy problems; they were like her sisters. She relied on them. They have gone through so much. To say all of that was simply imaginary was ludicrous: stopping Easter and purifying X-Eggs, transforming with them and Il and El, Amulet Fortune- all of it. She could feel tears flowing down her cheeks, her nose sniffling ever so slightly.

"T-They're just a part of my mind," Amu stammered, desperately ignoring the horrified cries of the four charas only she could see and hear. "I-I believe you…" Despite her statement, she still remained crying.

"She's lying," One of the men pointed out.

"I suppose we'll have to start the treatment." Two of the three men made their way beside Amu, and helped her stand by grabbing her shoulders. Amu tried to struggle out of their grip.

"Ran! Miki! Su! Dia!" She cried out.

"Amu-Chan…" They whispered, pity evident in their eyes. They exchanged nervous glances, as Amu found herself dragged by the men. Whatever treatment they were referring to, Amu knew that it couldn't help her, since they _were_ real.

****Call Me Crazy****

The bright sun shining upon the green grass was quite contrary to the place Amu found herself in. Her perilous condition was unbeknownst to everyone else. In fact, they were completely oblivious to the abductions that were constantly occurring. There was only one problem that the blonde-haired boy faced at the moment, and that was the fact he was unable to catch or throw a Frisbee.

"You have got to be kidding me, Tadase. It's so simple." Utau put the Frisbee under her arm, and threw it towards him exactly how he was supposed to. Tadase managed to catch it, considering it was a perfect toss. Utau wore her hair in a bun, opposed to her iconic pigtails, in an effort not to be bombarded by paparazzi. She had on cheetah print sunglasses that covered a large proportion of her face.

"You know that I was never really granted with the ability of sports," Tadase grumbled, tossing the Frisbee at the third one who stood there. As the Frisbee went about three inches, the midnight blue-haired guy chuckled. Tadase frowned at him. Ikuto walked over to the Frisbee, and picked it up. Ever since the Easter battle five years ago, Tadase and the Tsukiyomi siblings have been attempting to restore their relationship. There was still some tension, mostly due to Ikuto and Tadase's competition for Amu, but they mostly got along, with tremendous amount of teasing toward sixteen-year-old Tadase.

"Well, maybe you should have had a sports chara if you really sought to be great," Utau pointed out. "Steal Daichi or Rhythm."

"Can I tell you how many times Kukai has tried to get me good at sports? It's no use. I don't really care though… _Amu-Chan_ thinks it's cute that I fail at sports." Ikuto frowned.

"Well, she's called me sexy, and that's much more than merely cute." Utau rolled her eyes, fed up with their constant arguments over Amu.

"A king should not compete for an insignificant commoner," Kiseki pointed out, landing on top of Tadase's head. "Nor participate in such a petty activity as sports. A king is too busy handling much more important matters.'

"Amu-Chan isn't insignificant; she's amazing…"

"Wow, so sweet," Utau muttered sarcastically. Tadase blushed slightly, shooting Utau a glare.

"Kiseki's right you know," Ikuto taunted. "Perhaps only a prince is worthy." A yellow crown appeared immediately upon Tadase's head.

"I am NOT a prince! How dare you undermine my importance! I am a mighty king, and you must bow down to me commoners! MUAHAHAHAHA!"

"Are you sure, princey?" Ikuto continued to tease, smirking inwardly. Tadase stepped toward him angrily, prompting cat ears and a cat tail to appear and him to flip backward.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Utau watched their arguments, her arms crossed. It was rather cute, but she found them quite odd.

"You have to find your princess, and Amu isn't a princess; she's above that." Utau rolled her eyes again.

"I AM SUITED FOR A QUEEN, NOT A PRINCESS!" Tadase yelled.

"Oh? Does that mean you're suited for Rima, who is probably the only girl shorter than you? Or maybe Fujisaki, despite actually being a boy?"

"Oh please. You know that the two of them are actually madly in love with each other but attempt to conceal it with their petty arguments," Utau told him. All three of them became uninterested in the Frisbee that managed to fall from Ikuto's hand.

"Excuse us, but we have some questions for you." All three of them turned, facing a group of men. They were wearing black suits and seemed quite suspicious.

"A king does not feel obliged to answer questions inquired by a commoner-" Utau covered Tadase's mouth. His character change ended, and he turned bright red. The men all exchanged glances.

"What do you want?" Utau wondered.

"As you may have heard, there are various reports of people claiming to possess mysterious creatures. These creatures are said to represent the dreams that a person has." The three of them exchanged glances. "Sometimes, these creatures, or as the subject who claims to own one calls them, charas, are said to have the ability to change your personality. These personality changes could be disruptive, or dangerous to the people around them."

"Why are you telling us this?" Ikuto wondered, attempting to maintain his lie. He had gotten decently good at deception due to lying to Easter when he was working there, though his level was nothing compared to Nagihiko.

"We have been watching you three for a bit," Another man told them. "Through the time we studied, we noticed personality changes occurring. We want to help you, and show you the truth, that your charas do not actually exist."

"Eh?! I-I'm real! Hello? ~nya?" Yoru floated up, waving his arms around. Ikuto ignored the presence of his chara. Kiseki, Il, and El were absolutely distraught.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Ikuto stepped forward, in an attempt to protect his little sister and his brother-like figure.

"Come with us. We will take you to the asylum, where we will help mend you and-"

"You aren't taking my siblings anywhere," Ikuto growled. Tadase felt slightly pleased that he was referred to as Ikuto's sibling.

"It is clear you all have the charas. Let us take care of you."

"Utau, Tadase, run," Ikuto stated

"But Ikuto-" Utau started, but Ikuto motioned for her to take off.

"Utau, as in the famous Utau Hoshina?" One of the men wondered. Utau scoffed slightly, but grabbed Tadase's wrist.

"They're getting away!" Another one cried. Utau gave her brother a longing expression, before running off with Tadase. Ikuto took a long sigh, and held his hands up above his head.

"Very bold of you, allowing your family to run ahead." One of the men reached up to put handcuffs around his arms. Ikuto suddenly kicked him in the stomach, prompting him to bellow in pain. Ikuto escaped as well, quickly catching up to Utau and Tadase, who had run somewhere decently far.

"Ikuto!" Utau exclaimed, hugging her brother tightly. He returned it, though he was still panting. He let go of her, and turned to the two of them.

"We have to make sure everyone else is okay," Ikuto pointed out. "If they manage to abduct any of us, it could be bad news. The charas are real, but the average human cannot see them, and we have no way of proving their validity. I'm calling Amu."

"But-" Tadase started, but Ikuto hushed him, already having his phone to his ear. Tadase sighed, and decided to call Nagihiko instead, since Utau was obviously calling Kukai.

****Call Me Crazy****

Despite having a slightly deepened voice and more of a masculine body, though not super evident, Nagihiko's mother still found it necessary to force the tradition of dressing as a woman for dancing upon Nagihiko. Despite his slight changes, he still passed the part extremely well. He remained very thin and did not have extremely broad shoulders. He was still graceful in his steps, and performed each move with elegance. In fact, his routine was going quite well, until his cell phone started to ring.

"I'll continue after I check it," Nagihiko announced, stepping down from the stage, and going over to pick up his phone. His mother let out a sigh, as he went to examine the caller. He expected it to be Rima, since she had been calling him various times lately for some arbitrary reason. To his surprise, he saw the number was Tadase's. He picked it up, placing his phone by his ear.

"Nagihiko! I'm so happy you picked up. Are you okay?!"

"I'm…fine?" Nagihiko walked into another room. "What's going on?" He could easily distinguish the concerned tone embedded in Tadase's voice.

"Come to the Royal Garden. We'll explain everything."

"I'll be there in a few minutes," Nagihiko promised, hanging up the phone. He wondered what was wrong. He made his way back over to his mother and Baaya, who was sweeping the floor.

"I'm going to head out for a bit," Nagihiko announced. "My friend wishes to discuss something with me. I will return home as soon as I can."

"Again?" His mother wondered.

"I apologize," Nagihiko whispered, bowing his head politely.

"Are you going to see that girl who has been calling?" Nagihiko felt his face redden slightly, but he shook his head.

"It's Tadase," Nagihiko told her honestly, though he did not doubt that Rima would be showing up as well.

"You have been quite distracted and busy lately. It's almost as if you have gained a new priority. Do not forget what is most important to you."

"I haven't," Nagihiko reassured, heading to his room. He slipped off the kimono and wore a nice tee-shirt and shorts, and headed out the house.

"I'm worried about him," Nagihiko's mother muttered, letting out a sigh. Baaya glanced up at her, and gave her a small smile.

"Do not worry, Natsumi-San. He is acting as a normal teenager would," Baaya reassured her.

"I just… he seems distracted sometimes. I notice him sometimes scoff and roll his eyes at nothing. I…" Nagihiko's mother pulled out a card, and sighed. A phone number was listed on it. "There have been various reports of people having these things called charas. I questioned him about them, but he seemed to not know what I am referring to."

"I do not think that the Young Master is one of those people who see those charas," Baaya pointed out. "Perhaps he is just distracted. He's sixteen, and still young. Whoever this girl is that keeps calling must be what is distracting him. He must be interested in her." Nagihiko's mother nodded slowly, sighing.

"I suppose falling in love was inevitable for him…"

****Call Me Crazy****

"IT'S ANOTHER SCORE!" A hyper fifteen-year-old screamed at the top of her lungs. Due to the emptiness of the stadium, many of the soccer players glanced up at the pigtailed girl. The captain of the team grinned up at her. Yaya waved eagerly to Kukai, and went back to munching on her candy bar. Although five years had passed since her days in the guardians, she had not matured in the slightest, or at least claimed to. She was still a hyperactive girl who sought to be a baby and ate immense amounts of candy.

"Soccer is making me quite tired," Pepe muttered, yawning loudly.

"I do not quite understand the rules of this game." Yaya turned to the person beside her, grinning. "Sports have never ceased to baffle me. I cannot comprehend why a plethora of athletes tire themselves out simply to work for a team that serves utterly futile in the real world."

"Well, it's entertaining!" Yaya pointed out, watching as the soccer players went into the locker room. "Well, assuming Yaya actually understood what you said…" Kairi pushed up his glasses, sighing. The two of them had gotten quite close, despite having conflicting personalities. Although he scolds her reckless behavior often, Yaya finds him entertaining and as she says, her "partner-in-crime". Kairi usually does not partake in Yaya's exuberant activities, but he does enjoy being in her company.

"Hey lovebirds!" Kukai grinned, placing his hands upon their heads. Kairi's face turned bright red, and Yaya simply grinned.

"Hey! Yaya's not a bird!" Yaya whined. Kukai simply smiled, and ruffled Yaya's hair playfully. He nodded towards Kairi as well.

"Well, Utau just left a message on my phone by the way. She wants us to head to the Royal Garden. I'm not sure why… Let's go anyway!" Yaya and Kairi nodded, following Kukai to the Royal Garden. Though none of them were guardians anymore, it was still their meeting place.

****Call Me Crazy****

Despite only having one child, the Mashiro residence was quite a loud place. The loud bellows that seemed to make the entire house rumble made some pedestrians glance at the house for a moment. What the average eye didn't see, was the girl that stayed isolated in her room, often curled into a ball with a gag manga. Even her favorite gag mangas hardly managed to put a smile upon her face due to the continuous fighting in her house.

"Rima! Look here! Funny face!" Kusu-Kusu extended the sides of her mouth in an effort to make her laugh. Rima glanced up at her, and forced a tiny smile just to please her chara. Now that she was sixteen, the funny faces never really did anything for her mood. Instead, she turned to her phone that was on the floor beside her. Often, when she was really upset, she found herself calling her sworn enemy. She refused to tell him what was wrong, but somehow, hearing his voice and his teasing managed to cheer her up. Since this happened quite often now, Rima ended up calling Nagihiko daily, even more than once a day at times. She reached for her phone, but remembered what he told her yesterday. He had told her that his mother was displeased that Rima's calls infringed upon his dancing time. She knew that Nagihiko's mother was probably being too strict, but she had felt bad and stopped.

To her surprise, she saw the phone screen light up. She reached for it, and was hoping for Nagihiko to be calling her. Her eyes brightened when she opened the phone screen, but was slightly disappointed when it was actually from Utau. That confused her. Utau? They weren't that close, so it was odd she was calling.

"What is it?" Rima wondered, her voice sounding monotone. Kusu-Kusu studied Rima curiously.

"Rima, come to the Royal Garden. It's important."

"Um… okay?" Before Rima could inquire further, Utau already hung up. She stared at her phone blankly.

"What was that?" Kusu-Kusu asked, puzzled. Rima shrugged, reaching for her purse.

"Utau told me to come to the Royal Garden. So, I guess I'm going." Rima stood up, and left her room, quietly descending the steps. She sighed, hearing her parents yelling at each other incessantly. After all of these years, it baffled Rima how they hardly even noticed their daughter's suffering.

"Hey, don't be so down! When you're at the Royal Garden, you can see _Na-gi-hi-ko_," Kusu-Kusu reminded her, giggling. Rima blushed.

"Kusu-Kusu!" Rima exclaimed. She was giggling and floating around her.

"He's like your prince in shining armor!"

"Good thing you aren't talking about Tadase," Rima mumbled.

"Just his voice alone makes you swoon and fall." She attempted to ignore Kusu-Kusu's teasing. "Maybe if you fell into a deep slumber, his kiss would wake you up and it would be true love's first kiss!" Rima narrowed her eyes, her face completely crimson.

"Mama. Papa." Both parents looked up at her, ending their feud briefly. She attempted to stifle the smile that tried to form. "I'm going to see some friends."

"Give her a ride there," Rima's father demanded to his legal wife. They had been trying for a divorce, but there were many complications, since they kept disagreeing over the terms and conditions.

"You can give her a ride! You're always claiming that I'm the horrible mother."

"You don't do anything for her!"

"You ignore her needs! You forgot her dinner that time!"

"You left her at school and forgot to pick her up!" Rima's eyes darkened. She couldn't stand this. She turned to Kusu-Kusu, her eyes filled with tears.

"They always do this," Rima whispered, sighing. "It's not fair. Why can't I have Amu's parents, or anyone else's? Kusu-Kusu…" Kusu-Kusu opened her mouth to speak, but both of her parents were looking at her.

"What's Kusu-Kusu?" Rima's mother wondered. Rima's eyes widened.

"I-It's a long story," Rima bluffed, desperately wishing she had Nagihiko's lying skill at the moment. "I-I…"

"It's a chara, isn't it?" Rima looked at her father, completely amazed. How on earth did he know what a chara was? She even noticed her mother and father exchange glances, making her feel pleased. Why didn't they tell her that they knew what a shugo chara was?

"Yeah," Rima admitted. "Her name's Kusu-Kusu and she's a clown." She was so desperate to tell her parents something. She had always wanted to talk to her parents about things normal teenagers did; her test grades, her friends, her crush on Nagihiko- anything. Perhaps Kusu-Kusu wasn't normal, but at least it was something she could tell them.

"You…believe that she's real?" Rima cocked her head to the side.

"What do you mean?" She noticed her father was dialing a number, and talking silently. "Papa, what are you-"

"Rima, shh…" Her mother was stroking her hair. Rima stared at her mother, puzzled. It had been years since she showed any kind of affection. A few minutes later, a truck pulled up at her house. A group of men and women stepped out.

"My daughter admitted to seeing a chara," Rima's mother pointed out. Rima's eyes were widened. What was going on?!

"Come with us darling," One of the men told her. The large truck and unfamiliar people only brought her back horrible memories. He put a hand on her shoulder, prompting her to flinch and jump backward.

"Rima, go with the man. What you see, this chara, it isn't real. The man will help you realize that," Her father soothed. It all made sense to Rima now, why Utau was calling her in a panic. People had found out about the charas, and thought that those who possessed them were crazy. Who knew what they were going to do to her? The man took her arm, and was practically dragging her. Without thinking too hard, Rima kicked him in his delicate area. The man bellowed in pain, and Rima immediately started to run.

"I'm sorry Mama…Papa…" Rima whispered loud enough for them to hear, as she continued to take off. She knew she wasn't exactly the epitome of fast, so instead of running rapidly, she hid in an alleyway, and squeezed into a box that an average-sized human would not be able to hide in. She was too horrified and frightened to move.

****Call Me Crazy****

Upon entering the grounds of Seiyo Academy, Nagihiko was immediately confronted with the sight of Kukai, Yaya, and Kairi. He smiled upon seeing them, and felt himself be embraced tightly by Yaya. He chuckled lightly, ruffling her hair.

"Hey, you got Utau's call too?" Kukai wondered, grinning at his friend.

"Actually it was Tadase who called me here," Nagihiko admitted. "Any idea what it's about? He sounded concerned…"

"Yeah, Utau did too," Kukai pointed out. "Well, I guess we'll find out!" The four of them made their way to the Royal Garden. No matter what happened, the Royal Garden always served as their safe haven. It was everyone's second home, with the possible exception of Utau and Ikuto.

"Guys…" Tadase whispered, upon seeing them. Nagihiko walked over to his friend, giving him a concerned expression.

"Tadase, what happened?" Nagihiko asked. Ikuto's face was completely pale, as he stared at his phone. Utau looked at Kukai, and to everyone's dismay, hugged him tightly.

"U-Utau?!" Kukai exclaimed, slowly returning the hug. "Geez, you aren't the type to show affection…"

"I thought they had taken you," Utau whispered.

"Taken me? What?"

"Ikuto-NiiSan, you still haven't heard from her?" Tadase wondered. Ikuto shook his head slowly, sighing.

"What has occurred?" Kairi asked, equally confused as the other three.

"It seems people know about us," Utau explained, letting go of Kukai. "The charas. They know that some people are able to see charas. The problem is that they can't see them, and long story short, they think that those who see charas are schizophrenic and are taking them to some asylum to get 'treatment.'"

"We were confronted by some men today," Ikuto further explained. "They happened to observe Tadase's character change, and became increasingly curious. They nearly got us, but we managed to escape. However, I don't doubt they managed to see us or something." Kukai gave Utau a worried glance.

"My mother mentioned this to me," Nagihiko realized. All eyes turned to him surprised. "She only mentioned it to me last night. I was going to tell you, but Rima-Chan called and- wait, where is she anyway?"

"Utau just called her," Tadase explained. "She said she was on her way, though that was a while ago…" Nagihiko sighed.

"Damn… so, what are we supposed to do?" Kukai wondered. "I mean, the charas are real! We can all see them, so obviously…"

"It will be impossible to prove the validity of charas, considering an average eye cannot see the charas," Kairi pointed out. Musashi let out a sigh.

"We'll have to remain low-key," Nagihiko suggested. "We don't want to be taken to this asylum. That means, no character changes in public." He looked at Rhythm directly when saying that. Rhythm whistled innocently. Temari floated beside him, staring at the ground. "Amu-Chan… You said you can't get in contact with her?"

"I'm trying," Ikuto hissed, dialing her number for the umpteenth time.

"I'll give it a shot," Tadase suggested.

"Does it really matter? She's not going to pick up for you if she's not picking up for me," Ikuto pointed out, sighing. "I'll head over to her house and see if she's there. Perhaps her phone died, or something…"

"Poor Amu-Chi…" Yaya sighed.

"Hold on." All eyes turned to Kairi as he held up his iPhone. "I just searched information regarding the claims to seeing charas. There seems to be a list of all of the people falsely accused." Everyone crowded around Kairi, as he scrolled down the list of those taken in.

"Shit," Ikuto grumbled, upon reaching the "H" section. One name, Amu Hinamori, stood out to everyone. The reaction in the room was completely unanimous.

"Oh no," Yaya whimpered. Tadase's eyes widened.

"Amu-Chan!" He cried. "We have to do something. S-She can't just stay there." His voice was desperate.

"The asylum is located on an island," Kairi read, his voice sounding glum. "It is futile to attempt to get there to save her…"

"What are we going to do?" Yaya wondered. "Yaya means, this is like the government…"

"We'll figure out something. We always do, right? We'll find a way!" Kukai stuck up his thumb. "Amu's really strong; she'll be alright. We can do this! Have some confidence guys."

"She could be having this treatment now," Tadase whispered, ignoring Kukai. "She's completely sane though. Amu-Chan… She is probably all alone. Poor thing…"

"Kairi, check if Rima's on the list," Utau suggested. "She's an hour late. She picked up, but perhaps she was taken right after." Nagihiko took out his cell phone immediately, and dialed her number.

"No, Mashiro-San is not on the list," Kairi pointed out, sounding a bit relieved.

"She didn't pick up though," Nagihiko told them. "I hope she's okay; she usually has her phone on her." He let out a sigh. "We can't afford to think the worst now. They're humans. They merely think that we're insane. They're not going to hurt us, or Amu-Chan. She…She has to be okay…" Nagihiko sighed.

"I'm not just going to sit here and do nothing." Ikuto stood up. "This isn't just anyone they have tied up; this is Amu, my Amu." Tadase rolled his eyes subtly. "She saved me when I needed her most five years ago when I was being used as Death Rebel. It's my turn to save her. She's suffering the same way. I don't give a crap whether it's possible to get there or not; I'm going to save her no matter the cost, and whoever want to follow, go ahead." He started toward the door of the Royal Garden.

"Ikuto…" Utau started.

"Call me crazy, but I suppose I'm simply a fool for love. If the girl I love is in trouble, so be it. I'm going to save her."

"Not alone you won't." Tadase forced a smile. "I love Amu-Chan too. We're in this together." Ikuto scoffed. The others stood up as well.

"Operation: Saving Amu-Chi!" Yaya announced, grinning slightly.

"And finding Rima!" Kukai added.

"Right! Operation: Saving Amu-Chi and Finding Rima-Tan!" Yaya high-fived Kukai. The perseverance in the room was quite high, despite their inauspicious odds. However, their confidence would not remain for long. There was so much they had to deal with, besides finding and saving their friends. They had to remain in hiding with their charas and not get abducted as well.

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**Well, that was the first chapter (obviously). Since I'm starting school tomorrow, do not expect another update right away. I'll try to update as soon as I can. I hope you all enjoyed. If you have not gathered, all couples are fair game and canon. Also, the format that this story is in of jumping to different perspectives will remain all the chapters. Please review/favorite/alert! I hope this story becomes successful. **


	2. Ami Hinamori

**First of all, I apologize immensely for the delayed update. You can thank school for that. Well, I cannot believe I managed to receive nine reviews on the first chapter! Thank you all so much for reviewing. Also, I hope you like the pretty cover. I thought the image was pretty and kind of fitting, but it's tentative. Just a quick side-note, Nagihiko already told Amu about Nadeshiko, and italics mean flashback. I own nothing, and enjoy.**

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****Call Me Crazy****

She gripped the metal bars of her cage, her desperate screams and wails merely echoing off the silver-colored walls. Her cage was moderate-sized, having room for a twin bed with white sheets. If she desired to use the bathroom, she would have to seek one of the guards. She felt like an animal, being wrongly forced into a cage. She desperately tried to tear the bars, even though she knew it was utterly pointless.

"Amu-Chan…" A voice whispered. Amu turned around, facing her four charas. They were all staring at her, with morose expressions. Amu's face was plastered with tears, mascara all of her cheeks.

"Why am I here?" Amu mumbled, falling to her knees. "It's just…it's not fair. I-I'm a normal girl, with a normal life. I hardly ever got in trouble in school. Why me?" Another round of tears cascaded her face. She rubbed her eyes, only prompting them to become redder.

"We're sorry…" She glanced up at them. Miki floated forward, looking extremely upset. "It's our fault you're here. If we never came…" Amu shook her head slowly.

"No, don't say that," Amu whispered. "I-I can't regret anything. Without you guys, I would have never had any friends after my move. I would have never became friends with Nagi, or Tadase, heck, even Ikuto, and all of the others. I… I just… I don't even know…" She just wanted to go back home, back to a simple life. She let out a sigh. Why did her sister have to let her down like that? If Ami had spoken up at all, maybe Amu could have still been safe at home…

_"Ikuto, Yoru, get out!" Amu hissed, shoving them toward the window. Ikuto crossed his arms, a sly smirk crossing on his face._

_ "You're done with me?" He wondered._

_ "My parents are home!" Amu exclaimed, exasperated. "Look, I'll see you later, kay? Bye!" Ikuto complied, hopping out the window. She let out a sigh, and collapsed onto her bed. If she had known that would be the last thing she said to Ikuto before her life turned upside-down, she would have been much kinder, perhaps even professing her feelings. _

_ "Ugh, he can be such a pain," Amu grumbled. _

_ "Amu-Chan's blushing!" Ran pointed out. Amu glared at her chara, her cheeks only heating up further. _

_ "Ran!" Amu whined._

_ "Aw, come on! It's awfully cute!" Su agreed, smiling warmly. _

_ "But what about Tadase-Kun?" Miki reminded Amu. Dia floated nearby, lightly chuckling at Amu's flustered state and the other girls' teasing._

_ "You guys!" Amu whined, tossing a pillow at them jokingly. _

_ "Amu…" She rapidly turned, facing her parents and a bunch of unfamiliar men. Amu gulped, sitting up rapidly. How long had they been there? She brushed some hair back, composing herself._

_ "Can I help you?" Amu wondered, her arms crossed. _

_ "We're here to help you," The men claimed. Amu raised an eyebrow. _

_ "What do I need help with?" Amu wondered, her arms crossed. _

_ "Who were you just talking to?" Amu's mother wondered. Amu opened her mouth to speak. Of course, they happened to overhear the conversation with Ran, Miki, Su, and Dia._

_ "A-A friend had just come over," Amu bluffed, having partially told the truth. "Ikuto, do you remember him? He was here before, just visiting." _

_ "We saw him leave," Amu's father pointed out. "It was after that." Amu gulped, unsure of what to say. He turned to the men. "We have been suspicious for a while, but nothing for certain. You promise not to hurt my daughter?" _

_ "Of course we won't," The men promised, walking toward Amu. _

_ "W-What's going on?!" Amu wondered, as the men grabbed her arms. _

_ "We are here to help you," They promised. "You claim to see these charas, correct?" Amu froze. How would they know about them? "They are not real. We're going to help you realize the truth."_

_ "W-What!?" Amu exclaimed, feeling herself being guided downstairs by the men. As she entered her living room, she saw Ami watching television nonchalantly. Amu desperately turned to her sister._

_ "Ami! You can see them too," Amu remembered suddenly. "Tell them I'm not crazy. If two people can see them, then I'm sane, right? Ami!" Ami did not meet Amu's eyes. Tears were building up in Amu's eyes. "Come on little sis…" Ami finally looked up at Amu, with a blank expression._

_ "I don't know what you're referring to," Ami whispered, sounding the most mature Amu had ever heard. Amu's eyes widened._

_ "Ami! Please! I-I need you!" Amu was being dragged by the men. "Ami!" Ami went back to her television. Amu felt herself being dragged into the truck, completely dismayed and upset. She was unable to hear the faint apology under Ami's breath. _

"Ami… I wonder what you're thinking now," Amu murmured, sighing softly.

****Call Me Crazy****

_Boom!_ Ikuto's fist hit the punching bag, sending it flying a significant distance. He let out a sigh, and punched it again with his left fist. Those two hits were for the two days he had been apart from _her_. He let out a sigh, and began throwing many punches at it, sending it flying in various directions. This is what Ikuto desired to do to those who laid a finger on Amu. Imagining her somewhere unknown utterly helpless broke Ikuto's heart tremendously. No words could describe how much he loved Amu. He knew that no matter what he did, he had to save her. Even though she was only sixteen opposed to twenty-one-year-old Ikuto, she managed to impact his life significantly. He had never had such strong feelings for anyone ever, until he met that very special pinkette all those years ago.

"You're going to break your knuckles." He did not even need to look up to recognize the voice of his sister. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw her leaning into the doorway, her arms crossed. Ikuto scoffed, and through one last punch at the punching bag, before turning to face her.

"What do you want?" Ikuto grumbled.

"Fujisaki and Tadase are over," Utau explained. "They're doing research currently. Due to your _obsession _with Amu, I thought that you might want to help."

"Research is pointless," Ikuto grumbled. "We know she's on an island. It's just a matter of getting there."

"Yeah! It's going to be quite simple, nya!" Yoru agreed, floating up beside his chara. Ikuto ignored the presence of his chara.

"Yeah simple," Il murmured sarcastically.

"Well, whatever. It's more helpful than hitting a punching bag." Ikuto could not argue with her on that. "Are you coming, or what?" Ikuto sighed, and followed his little sister up the stairs. Sure enough, Nagihiko and Tadase were in the living room, typing away on a computer. Nagihiko glanced over, and gave Ikuto a half-hearted smile. Ikuto did not return it, and turned to Tadase.

"You find anything?" He wondered.

"Well, really just what we already know," Tadase admitted dryly. "However, we found out that Mashiro-San-"

"Whatever. I'm just focused on finding Amu." Everyone turned to face Ikuto in utter bewilderment. Utau let out a sigh.

"How could you say that?!" Nagihiko exclaimed. "At least we know _where_ Amu-Chan is. Rima-Chan could be anywhere… She's being sought for by the men in charge of the asylum. Heck, she's most likely living homeless somewhere, hiding in fear. And you're just focused on finding Amu-Chan, and no one else?!"

"I didn't mean it like that…" Ikuto mumbled. "I just..."

"Oh, you think you're entitled to Amu-Chan?!" Tadase stood up angrily. "Like Nagihiko said, Mashiro-San is missing. Amu-Chan is hurt. You think you can be that selfish!? I love her too, but at least I understand that I love others too! That's a redeeming feature in someone that Amu-Chan would surely prefer."

"Everyone, just stop." All eyes turned to face Utau. "Ikuto didn't mean that. None of you could understand how he's been. I know Amu's like your best friend Fujisaki, and you love her Tadase, but neither of you can possibly imagine how much she means to Ikuto. He does care about Rima too, but he just can't focus. He hasn't slept in the time she has been missing. What he said was wrong, but he didn't mean it in an offensive way. Right?" Ikuto looked at his sister, and nodded slowly. Nagihiko looked at the ground, and Tadase let out a sigh.

"But…" Tadase stopped himself.

"I think…I can understand," Nagihiko admitted, his eyes darkening.

"We'll find the midget," Ikuto promised, adjusting his tone. "She was kidnapped once, right? Like Amu, she's quite stubborn. She won't settle for that again. She will do anything to prevent getting captured." Nagihiko looked up at Ikuto, and smiled slightly.

"You know… You sounded just like Amu right then," Nagihiko pointed out. A semblance of a smile formed upon Ikuto's face.

"Well, apparently Mashiro-San was recently spotted right in the city," Tadase interrupted. "She shouldn't be too far. Nagihiko, you said you tried her cell phone, right?"

"Dozens of times," He admitted. "It just keeps going to voice mail. It's more than likely that she doesn't have her phone on her."

"Apparently Yaya has been looking, or something," Utau explained. "I don't really know, but Kukai described something about a candy radar? Who the hell even knows, but at least she drags Kairi everywhere she goes, so she has someone sane with her."

"Yaya's crazy…" Tadase pointed out. Ikuto tuned them out, and thought more about Amu. Rima had managed to avoid going to the asylum, so Ikuto found hardly any reason to worry about her. It was his precious Amu that occupied the majority of his thoughts. He could imagine Amu's futile cries of innocence, given that charas were real, but no one would know that. He remembered that last time he saw her. As usual, he had hopped through her window, and teased her, prompting her to blush. The last thing she had told him was to get out because her parents were home. How long after was she taken to the asylum?

"I have to go," Ikuto muttered. Suddenly a thought dawned on him. "Wait, where did Fujisaki go?" Utau and Tadase stared blankly at him.

"Um, weren't you paying attention?" Tadase wondered. "He said he had to go home immediately to practice dancing."

"Where are you going?" Utau demanded.

"Just out for a bit," Ikuto promised, hurrying out before they could inquire any further.

* * *

He arrived outside of the house he had become quite acquainted with for nearly six years. It was quite a simple house, but somehow, seeing it provided Ikuto with a sense of warmness. It wasn't just any house; it was _Amu's_ house- the house that belonged to the love of his life. Sighing, he climbed atop a tree, and hopped onto Amu's balcony. Her balcony doors were unlocked, so he nonchalantly walked into her room. Nothing had changed in the three days he had last returned here, except that the one who inhabited said room was gone. He let out a sigh, and sat on her bed sheets. He could not name how many times he slept beside her. It was such a sweet sight, seeing the girl beside him sleeping soundly. He remembered one time, she caught him watching her briefly, and she immediately claimed he was a pervert. He chuckled under his breath in reminiscing.

"Amu isn't home." Ikuto jumped, turning toward the source of the voice. Amu's little sister, Ami stood at the doorway, looking more mature than Ikuto had ever seen her.

"Gee, thanks," Ikuto muttered sarcastically. The melancholy within Ami's eyes made him regret his sarcasm.

"I should have spoken up…" Ikuto raised an eyebrow, curious as to where she was going with this. "Maybe it could have made a difference. She trusted me! B-But I…I let her down…" Ami sniffled.

"What happened?" Ikuto asked gently. He motioned for Ami to come closer. She complied, and sat on Amu's bed. He sat beside her.

"It was just three days ago," Ami sniffled, rubbing her eyes. "After you left, S-Sissy was confronted with these men. Mom and Dad had heard her talking to her charas after you were gone, but of course, they couldn't hear them, so they thought Sissy was crazy, and called the men. They were taking her to the asylum. As she left, she turned to me. She wanted me to tell them that I saw the charas too, and that she wasn't crazy. I knew that if I said anything, I could have been in trouble, or taken. Selfishly, I didn't say anything. But now, I only wonder if it could have made a difference… My sissy must be unhappy…"

"You did the right thing," Ikuto muttered. Ami looked up at him. "Amu turned to you in desperation. If she had been thinking clearly, she would have known that it wouldn't be wise." Ikuto took a deep breath, and tousled the younger girl's hair. It was a small gesture he had done with Utau when they were younger.

"Sissy does that to me sometimes." Ami giggled.

"Ami, let me promise you something." She looked up at him. "I'm going to save Amu, no matter what. I know the asylum is on an island and most likely heavily guarded, but I'm going to do whatever it takes to save her, no matter the risks."

"Thank you Ikuto…" Ami hugged him. Startled, Ikuto hugged her gently, unsure of how to treat her. "Don't tell Amu I said this, but I think she's better with you than Tadase. She puts on a façade with him, and acts as that cutesy, nervous girl. With you, she is herself and much more comfortable." The small smile that seldom appeared on his face shone brightly upon that comment.

****Call Me Crazy****

The average blue sky appeared extra bright to Rima, compared to the darkness in the box. It had been two days since she took off, and the only other time she had left her box was to find a water fountain. Unfortunately, she had managed to leave behind her purse holding her phone at her house, so she had no contact with the outside world. She could only imagine the disgusting state she was in, which Kusu-Kusu bluntly had burst out in laughter when she inquired about it. Though Rima had absolutely no access to the time, she could infer it was midday, due to the effulgence of the sky.

"Where are you going to go?" Kusu-Kusu wondered, turning to her owner.

"I'm so hungry…" She grumbled. "But I don't have money…" Her eyes began to water. "Oh god. I don't even know what time it is, or what day, or anything! I haven't shower, or eaten in, who knows how long. It feels like weeks, but it must have been at least a day, right?"

"I don't know…" Kusu-Kusu admitted, sighing. "Cheer up Rima! You'll find a way!" She grinned, quite contrary to Rima's mood.

"But how?! I'm homeless… And it's not like I can go home, or else I'll be…kidnapped." Rima gulped. "Don't they understand?! I was kidnapped when I was younger! They know that it has scarred me. W-Why would they call those men?!" Her eyes widened. "The others! Oh god, for all I know, they could have been taken because of their charas. I can't believe I didn't think about that sooner. Oh god…"

"Rima, calm down!" Kusu-Kusu instructed. Rima turned to her chara, tears daring to escape her eyes. "You're going to be okay, I promise. You were too scared to think about anything else. They're probably fine. Why don't you try to find them?"

"I don't know where those men are," Rima reminded her chara. "For all I know, they could be searching for me. We need to be inconspicuous. Well, _I_ need to be anyway; if you could be seen, we wouldn't be having this problem…" Kusu-Kusu glanced at the ground. Rima walked out of the alleyway, peering at the city outside of her. People were hustling as usual, oblivious to the problems she faced. Life appeared to be completely normal. Cars were driving by, incessantly honking each other. Taxis were driving people to their destinations. Rima took a deep breath, and stepped onto the street, attempted to blend in with the crowd. She walked around in the city she had come to call home for almost five years now.

"You look awfully pale," Kusu-Kusu noted suddenly. Rima frowned at her chara.

"Well, I haven't eaten anything in however long. Plus, my head is killing me. I just want to eat." A few people turned to stare at her. She flushed, realizing her entire predicament. She smiled casually, in an attempt not to be noticed.

As she turned her head, she noticed a bakery. She would have simply continued walking, if the door had not briefly opened. She inhaled a waft of sweetness- chocolate and pastries blended together. The growling in her stomach made her moan, as if she was metal drawn to a magnet. She began walking toward it, allured by the mere smell.

"Rima!" Kusu-Kusu cried, following her. "What about the money problem?"

"I'm so freaking hungry," Rima mumbled, walking into the bakery. "I'll figure something out." Unfortunately, she was out of ideas. The sweets on the counter made her mouth water, as they practically beckoned her. She felt just like Yaya. Just thinking about Yaya made Rima sigh. She desperately hoped she was okay. The bakery was quite small, and had a tiled-pink floor, with orange walls. It seemed like a welcoming place.

"Is something the matter, little girl?" Rima turned, facing an unfamiliar man. Her eyes narrowed slightly, upon being called little. However, she realized she could use her height and juvenile appearance to her advantage. Rima allowed some fake tears to cascade down her cheeks, a neat trick she had learned from a comedy skit years ago, and what she constantly used on Amu to get her way. However, Nagihiko was always able to see through her false cries. Just the mere thought of him made her smile poignantly.

"I-I want a treat, but my mommy said I can't…" Rima lied, acting as a hysterical child. "She said it's too much money, but I don't get it…" The man placed a reassuring hand on her head.

"You look so hungry," The man noticed. She nodded remorsefully. "Is there a specific treat that a little girl like you would desire?" The lighting up of her eyes was not even faked. Rima turned to the treats, and admired them.

"I want a…"

"Honey!" Rima's eyes lowered, having heard a woman's voice. The man turned, and ran off, clearly being called by his wife.

"You were so close!" Kusu-Kusu exclaimed. Rima nodded, biting her lip. If anything, that whole incident had made her hungrier, as she thought about all of the dessert options. Her mouth was watering tremendously. All of the sweets sounded so amazing. The sound of the opening of the door seemed irrelevant to her, as she stared at the sweets in longing.

"Excuse me, have you seen this girl?" Rima turned to face the man who had just silenced the bakery, her eyes widened. This had been one of the men that had tried to abduct her. She backed up, hoping to conceal her identity. Sure enough, the image on the wanted sign looked familiar to herself. "She has been spotted nearby."

"Hm, that looks familiar actually," A person pointed out. Subtly, Rima stepped toward the door, hoping no one would notice. Unfortunately, her attempts to be illusive did not quite work, as someone's eyes widened and they lifted a finger.

"Hold on, isn't that-" Before they could finish their sentence, Rima bolted out the door, running at a pace that did not belong to her. It did dawn on her that she never assuaged her hunger, but that was not quite the prominent issue. She found herself crashing directly into someone, knocking both of them over.

"S-Sorry!" She quickly apologized, standing up rapidly. When she got a look at the person in front of her, an immense smile formed upon her face. His purple hair was enough to give it away to her.

"…Rima-Chan?!"

"Nagi!" Rima cried in utter delight, not even noticing that she used his nickname. He quickly got to his feet, smiling down at the petite girl in front of him.

"Holy shit, we didn't know what happened to you… We've been looking but… Oh my god, Rima, it's really you…" He pulled her into an embrace. Rima wrapped her arms around him as well, ignoring the rosy blush upon her cheeks.

"They're looking for me," Rima whispered suddenly. He let go of her. "I'll explain everything later. We just need to go quickly." Nagihiko nodded, and took her hand, shoving them both through the crowds and back to the quieter areas of the city.

* * *

They arrived at Nagihiko's manor, both of them hand in hand. Nagihiko grabbed the key from his pocket, and unlocked the manor, leading Rima inside. She looked around, completely marveled by the immense size. She had never been inside before, but officially understood what Amu meant when she raved about it. It was certainly a change of pace from living in a box. Nagihiko let go of her hand suddenly, and gestured for her to follow. As they passed the kitchen, she saw Nagihiko's housekeeper baking cookies. The smell of them became overwhelming. She tugged the back of Nagihiko's shirt, prompting him to look at her.

"What's up?" He wondered.

"Um…" Rima blushed. "A-Are the cookies going to be ready soon?"

"You're hungry?" Rima nodded eagerly. He chuckled lightly. "That makes sense… Gosh, were you living on streets? I heard you were being wanted, so you must have not had anything decent to eat. I'll get you something quick, alright?" Rima nodded, as Nagihiko opened his kitchen cabinet, and tossed her a hundred-calorie bag of chips. Rima's eyes lit up, as she rapidly opened it, and stuffed chips into her mouth, hardly even caring that her crush might judge her for eating like a pig.

"Young Master, who is this girl?" Baaya asked.

"This is a friend of mine." Nagihiko gestured for her to follow. Baaya raised an eyebrow, as Rima quickly digested the chips, seeming so informal in a beautiful home. He put his arm around her kindly, making her face turn crimson. "Baaya-San, this is Rima. She's a close friend of mine. Her parents are having some issues, so she might need to stay here for a bit." Rima glanced up at him, realizing how rapidly he bluffed. It wasn't incorrect, but that certainly wasn't the reason she was staying here. Faintly, she heard Kusu-Kusu's giggles, and she attempted to make no reaction to it.

"You'll have to talk to your mother about that, but I am sure that will be fine." Baaya carried the tray of cookies and placed it on a counter. "For now, your friend can inhabit one of the guest rooms. It's down that hallway on the left." Rima nodded, thanking her. Nagihiko removed his arm from her, and allowed her to walk to her room.

"I know Mother wanted me to dance, but I do believe it would be wise to settle her in first…"

"Be careful with her, Young Master." Nagihiko looked up at Baaya, with a raised eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"Your mother does not wish to discuss such matters with you, so I will. This is the girl you have been speaking on the phone with, correct?"

"Yeah, but we haven't spoken in days… Why do you bring it up?" Nagihiko knew exactly where Baaya was taking this.

"You're a sixteen-year-old boy Nagihiko; despite your mother dressing you up as a female, you are bound to experience feelings due to hormones and growing older." Nagihiko felt his face heat up slightly. "You always take time out of your dancing to speak to her. These feelings you are experiencing… just be careful with them. I do not know what your body desires, but do not let yourself do something rash for her."

"B-Baaya-San!" Nagihiko cried. "I-I'm not..." Baaya merely smiled at him. Nagihiko sighed, and bowed politely to her. Before joining Rima, he decided to make her some pancakes, knowing she must have been starved. He lifted the pancakes and a glass of water, and headed to her guestroom, knocking on the door.

"Can I come in, Rima-Chan?" Nagihiko asked.

"No."

"What?"

"N-No, I'm joking… Come in…" Nagihiko chuckled lightly, and opened the door, seeing her sit on the bed. He could visibly see her eyes light up upon seeing the pancakes and water. Smiling lightly, he closed the door behind him, and carried the pancakes over to her, placing the water beside her bed.

"Is your mother okay with this?" Rima wondered, beginning to eat the pancakes.

"I have yet to speak to her," Nagihiko admitted, sitting in front of her on the bed.

"Then what took you so long?"

"Well, it takes a bit to make pancakes," Nagihiko pointed out. Rima turned her head bashfully, but he could visibly see her blush, and further, Kusu-Kusu was giggling incessantly. "Well, anyway, we have a lot to talk about." Rima looked back at him, and nodded slowly.

"Is everyone alright?! Obviously you know that I was being searched for because I can see charas, so you know that I'm caught up." Nagihiko let out a sigh.

"Amu-Chan…" He began. Rima's eyes widened. "Everyone else is fine, but she's at the asylum."

"The asylum?" Rima inquired.

"It's where they take everyone who is deemed schizophrenic by seeing the charas," Nagihiko explained. "So they came to your house? I don't mean to resurface bad memories, but…" Rima nodded.

"I had gotten Utau's phone call, telling me to come to the Royal Garden," Rima explained. "I was stupid. I went downstairs, hearing my parents fight. I had told Kusu-Kusu how much I hated it, and apparently they heard me talking to thin air. They told me it was a chara, and stupidly, I admitted it was. Then, they called those asylum workers, or whatever, and they came. I, um, managed to get away, and hid in this box for… however long. Oh god, it was horrible. I was so hungry and thirsty and…"

"Shh, you're here now," Nagihiko reassured, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Rima smiled lightly. "To clarify, it's been two days since Utau called you. That day she, Ikuto, and Tadase were being chased by those men as well."

"Two days…" Rima repeated, letting it sink in. She turned to face Kusu-Kusu. "It felt like weeks, at least." She yawned suddenly. "I'm so tired…"

"You must be. It's awfully difficult to sleep in a box, I would presume." Rima nodded, lifting the sheets and climbing underneath. Upon her head hitting the pillow, she immediately fell to sleep, Kusu-Kusu going inside her egg. Nagihiko walked a little closer to her, and caressed her cheek lightly, before exiting her room.

"Nagihiko, it might be wise to get ahead on your dancing," Temari pointed out. Nagihiko nodded, changing into a kimono and tying his hair back.

"Aren't you going to comment on what just happened?" Rhythm wondered.

"What's there to say?" Nagihiko looked at Rhythm, smiling sheepishly.

"Well, she was cute, right?"

"That's a given." Temari and Rhythm exchanged knowing smiles, as Nagihiko descended the steps, heading over to his mother and Baaya who were talking.

"I am quite pleased you are making time for your duties," Nagihiko's mother pointed out. "The girl…"

"Rima-Chan's resting," Nagihiko told his mother, going up onto the stage.

"How long will she be staying?"

"As long as she needs," Nagihiko told her. "She won't be a nuisance or interfere with my dancing. She just needs a place to feel welcome." Baaya and Nagihiko's mother exchanged glances, as he commenced his routine, his thoughts mainly filled with Rima.

* * *

**I'll try my best to update as soon as I can! For now, well, reviews are really inspirational ;). By the way, I'm taking a Creative Writing class in school this year and it's really helpful, so maybe I'm busy, but at least I'm improving as a writer. I'm working on fiction stories in that class, and if I like them enough, maybe I'll contemplate posting on FictionPress (which I have a blank account on currently). Anyhow, review/favorite/alert! I've got some plot twists planned for the future.**


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